Sunday, 23 March 2014

I have been having fun with a pattern from Cathie Shuttleworth recently. This owl pattern was intended to make bunting and as there do seem to be a lot of owls around at the moment it is rather on trend. Anyway, I haven't made that many yet and the owls have been making some jolly birthday cards.

I think putting the owls on at an angle makes them look as though they are flying off the card. The first one has a button beak and for the next one I cut a section from a paper flower. Usefully the wings fold in for posting so they fit in a standard envelope.

Standing this card on the mantlepiece for photographing made me think of the 'Owl and the Pussycat' by Edward Lear. When I inked the background of the card, intending to make it look like the sky, I actually thought it was rather like waves. Thinking of the rhyme now and the 'beautiful pea green boat' the wallpaper is rather appropriate! These two little cats are from Japan though, a gift from a special friend who is working out there.

Do take a look at Cathie's work, she has some fun ideas and her illustrations are wonderful. Anyone who has been to the Hobbycrafts show at the N.E.C. this week may well have seen some more of her clever ideas, and I know several people who will like the owl cupcake holder!

Friday, 21 March 2014

Well so much for all good resolutions to blog more frequently! Never mind, each new day brings a new canvas to fill, but the trouble is there always seems to be more than can be fitted in and so many things that I want to do. I always seem to have a lot of projects on the go, some large and some small, and rather a large number of 'works in progress', otherwise known as the UFOs (unfinished objects)!

However, some projects do get finished and this one gave me a huge sense of satisfaction when I stitched in the last loose thread. It took 18 months to complete but it was a project that wasn't worked on all the time. I love having some knitting for long journeys in the car, as I mentioned in another post. This blanket was knitted in strips, rather like a scarf, and some strips are all one stitch and in others I changed the pattern two or three times at random. There was no pattern, I just knitted whatever took my fancy.

Miss Mischief never misses an opportunity to snuggle on a blanket, even when you are trying to knit, so as soon as I spread this one out up she jumped, quickly followed by Master Trouble!

I think they knew to make the most of it as it would not be in the house for long. My daughter had been hoping to take it to University last Autumn and then once she went she kept telling me how much she needed a new cosy blanket, none of the other ones would do!

It looks smaller on a double bed but is actually plenty big enough to wrap around her.

One happy daughter and one happy Mum! And now there is another knitting project started. Well I do need something for the car, although actually I have been doing a fair bit of the new one whilst watching television. Hopefully I will remember to take some photos soon!

About Me

Inspired by my mother and grandmothers, I have had a love of fabric, sewing and art from as far back as I can remember. However there is no limit to what can inspire me and invoke paper, paint, or needle and scissors. The beauty of nature never fails to astound me. I also love baking and try never to buy cakes!